Prime Minister

COVID-19 Update

Boris Johnson: On 15 December I announced the appointment of the Rt Hon Baroness Heather Hallett DBE as chair of the forthcoming public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, I made a commitment to consult Baroness Hallett and ministers in the devolved administrations on the terms of reference for the inquiry before publishing them in draft. This process is now complete, and I have today placed a copy of the draft terms of reference in the library of the House and published them on gov.uk.The terms of reference cover: preparedness; the public health response; the response in the health and care sector; and our economic response. Rightly, the terms of reference allow for an inquiry which is genuinely UK-wide, but which respects and does not duplicate any inquiry established on a devolved basis. Finally, the draft reflects the importance of the inquiry working to understand the experiences of those most affected by the pandemic - including bereaved families - as well as looking at any disparities evident in the impact of the pandemic and our response.The inquiry will play a key role in learning the lessons from this terrible pandemic and in informing our preparations for the future. It is therefore vital that we get its terms of reference right and that people can have their say. To deliver this, Baroness Hallett will now lead a period of public engagement and consultation, which will last for four weeks. This process will inform further refinements to the terms of reference before they are finalised and the inquiry begins its important work.

Ministry of Defence

National Shipbuilding Strategy

Mr Ben Wallace: Today the Prime Minister will announce the publication of the Refresh to the National Shipbuilding Strategy, unveiling a comprehensive package of Government support to further a shipbuilding renaissance for the whole of the UK and bringing together over £4bn of investment over the next three years. Following my appointment as Shipbuilding Tsar in 2019, we have been working across Government and our refreshed strategy encompasses the entire shipbuilding sector, both naval and civil, and its supporting supply chain. This will ensure that opportunities, best practice and benefits are shared across the enterprise. This strategy refresh sets out a vision, endorsed by both Government and industry, to create a globally successful, innovative and sustainable shipbuilding enterprise that works for all parts of the UK. A Command Paper has been laid before Parliament.

Department for Work and Pensions

Supporting People Nearing the End of their Lives

Chloe Smith: The Government is committed to improving the level of support provided to people who are nearing the end of their lives. The Special Rules process allows simple and fast access to financial support through the benefits system. Last July, the Government announced its intention to expand eligibility for the Special Rules, which is currently aimed at those with 6 months or less to live, with a new 12-month end of life approach. Today, the Department for Work and Pensions is introducing an amendment to the Universal Credit (UC) Regulations 2013, the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Regulations 2008 and 2013 and the Decisions and Appeals Regulations 2013.The Regulations will apply in Great Britain and will come into force on 4 April 2022. They will mean that people who are thought to be in their final year of life will be able to receive vital support through the Special Rules six months earlier than they are able to at present, thereby increasing the number of people who are eligible and the length of time that they are able to receive this support for. This means that more people will be able to make a claim under the Special Rules, and as a result, they will not be subject to face-to-face assessments, waiting periods and, in the majority of cases, they will receive the highest rate of benefit. The 12-month approach supports clinicians by providing a realistic and straightforward definition, consistent with the current end of life definition used across the NHS.The Government has amended UC and ESA where the definition is in Secondary Legislation and when Parliamentary time allows, it will also amend the Special Rules for PIP, DLA and AA, where the definition is contained in Primary Legislation.Having a life limiting illness can cause unimaginable suffering for the patient and for their loved ones and we are committed to ensuring the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their lives. To support the implementation of the changes to the Special Rules criteria we are making today, we will provide clear and helpful communications for claimants, clinicians, and organisations that support people nearing the end of their lives so that they are clear about what they should do in light of these changes.

Home Office

Update on the Inquiry into the death of Dawn Sturgess

Priti Patel: I announced on 18 November 2021 of the Government’s decision to establish an Inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005, to investigate the death of Dawn Sturgess in Amesbury on 8 July 2018, after she was exposed to the nerve agent Novichok. The Inquiry will now be chaired by the Lord Hughes of Ombersley. Lord Hughes is a retired judge who was a former Judge of the Supreme Court, as well as a Lord Justice of Appeal and Vice President of the Criminal Division. Lord Hughes is also a judicial commissioner to the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO). In accordance with section 3(1) of the Act, this Inquiry will be undertaken by Lord Hughes alone as Chair. The Government is establishing this Inquiry after careful consideration of advice from Baroness Hallett (who led the inquest) that this is necessary to permit all relevant evidence to be heard. This is an important step in ensuring that the family of Dawn Sturgess get the answers they need. The current Inquest will be suspended after the establishment of the Inquiry. The Inquiry will formally start on 17 March. I will today place a copy of the Terms of Reference, which remain unchanged, for the Inquiry in the Libraries of both Houses. The Inquiry’s investigations will be a matter for the Chair. As the sponsoring department, the Home Office will provide support and ensure that the Inquiry has the resources that it needs.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act & Common Frameworks Report

Neil O'Brien: I am today laying before Parliament a report, ‘The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks: 26 September to 25 December 2021’ in line with the requirement under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 for quarterly reports to be made to Parliament on the progress of the work to develop Common Frameworks. The report is available on GOV.UK and details the progress made between the UK Government and devolved governments regarding the development of Common Frameworks. This report details progress made during the fourteenth 3-month reporting period, and sets out that no ‘freezing’ regulations have been brought forward under section 12 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act. A copy of the ‘The European Union (Withdrawal) Act and Common Frameworks: 26 September to 25 December 2021’ report has been placed in the library of both Houses. The publication of the report reflects the Government’s continued commitment to transparency.

Treasury

Clarification of income tax exemptions

Lucy Frazer: New social security payment in ScotlandThe Government will legislate in Spring 2022 to ensure that the new Adult Disability Payment made by the Scottish Government will be exempt from income tax (as agreed in the 2016 Fiscal Framework Agreement). The legislation will be retrospective from 1 March 2022.HM Revenue and Customs will not collect any tax that may have been due on payments made from 1 March 2022 to the date the legislation takes effect.This is being announced outside of the normal fiscal event process in order to ensure that those making the payments and the recipients know that they do not have to pay any tax on the payments.Discretionary Fund paymentsThe Government will legislate in Spring 2022 to clarify that payments made through the Discretionary Fund (and the equivalent in the Devolved Administrations) will be exempt from income tax. The Discretionary Fund is a £144 million fund that forms part of the package of support to help households with rising energy bills. Local Authorities will use the fund to help households who are not eligible for a Council Tax Rebate. Council Tax Rebates are not subject to income tax.HM Revenue and Customs will not collect any tax that may have been due on payments made from 1 April 2022 to the date the legislation takes effect.This is being announced outside of the normal fiscal event process in order to ensure that those making the payments and the recipients understand income tax is not due on the payments.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Digital Identity and Attributes Consultation Response

Julia Lopez: I wish to inform the House that the Government has today published its response to the digital identity and attributes consultation.In our increasingly digital world, and as technology devices become ever more integral to everyday life, being able to prove identities digitally is a tool which will give people more convenience, choice and security in how they access products and services. From making purchases, starting a new job, or moving house, it is important now more than ever that people and organisations can trust who they are dealing with as easily when transacting online as they do when dealing with others in the physical world.Published in July 2021, the digital identity and attributes consultation sought views on three main proposals that could achieve a safe and secure digital identity system for the whole UK. Extensive engagement informed these proposals and the contents of the consultation response. We are determined to put the needs of individuals first with a strong focus on privacy, security and inclusion.Based on the views received from respondents to the consultation, our response details the Government’s intent to legislate, when parliamentary time allows, to enable the development of a secure and trusted marketplace for digital identities and attributes across the UK economy.Firstly, the Government will seek to introduce legislation that will establish a digital identity and attributes governance function. This will help to build a trusted ecosystem in which digital identities and attributes can be used safely and securely across the economy. The governance function will have oversight of the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework and will be responsible for the issuance of a trust mark to organisations certified against it. This will give confidence to individual users of digital identities and attributes that they can trust certified organisations to offer safe and secure digital products because they have a trust mark to show they are adhering to the standards of the UK trust framework.The Government will also seek to introduce legislation to enable public bodies to allow secure digital checks by trust-marked organisations against personal data they hold for the purposes of identity and eligibility verification. This will allow people and businesses to have confidence that digital identities in the UK can be built on trusted datasets in a way which upholds UK standards of privacy and data minimisation.Finally, the Government will seek to introduce legislation which will establish that data held by public bodies which are then shared digitally through the legal gateway, are equivalent to the same data shared through traditionally accepted forms of identification, such as physical passports. This will provide all parties that rely on these data with the clarity and confidence that digital identities and attributes can be trusted.Further details can be found in the consultation response, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/digital-identity-and-attributes-consultation/outcome/government-response-to-the-digital-identity-and-attributes-consultationA copy of the consultation response will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.